Famous movie sports scenes: a rundown
Movies and sports are some of America’s favorite pastimes, with many Americans claiming to be fans of both. A large number of people place wagers on SugarHouse sports betting PA every day, for example, while movie theaters across the country are packed full of patrons. And for those who love both, what better way to celebrate these twin loves than to look back at some of the best sports scenes ever shown in movies from recent decades? This article will celebrate some of the scenes that have gone down in history in this regard.
The Social Network (2010)
A film about social networking site Facebook seems, on the face of it at least, to be one of the least likely candidates for a clever sports scene to be worked in. However, The Social Network, which explores the early life of the website now responsible for so many changing social and cultural trends, features a scene in which the twin brothers who act as founder Mark Zuckerberg’s nemeses – Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss – lose a rowing race. They are competing on behalf of Harvard, their university, but get defeated by a club from the Netherlands. As a result of the defeat, they feel more and more pushed to hit back at Zuckerberg and get what they consider to be rightfully theirs.
A Few Good Men (1992)
The movie A Few Good Men, which starred Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, is one to watch if you love sport – and especially baseball. However, this is something of a surprise, not least because it has had a fairly significant effect on the language and vocabulary of sport. “You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall” – a phrase that is now associated by some with ESPN’s SportsCenter program – is attributable to this movie. It also contains a few clever scenes that are related to baseball. The character of Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, who is played by Cruise, finds himself looking to prepare a team from the US Navy to play a match against rivals from Bethesda Medical.
Cinderella Man (2005)
Those who love to fuse both history and sport when it comes to their movie choices will no doubt find the tale of Cinderella Man to be a great one. It recounts the life of James J. Braddock, a boxer who fought back in the era of the Great Depression. He is unable to get the work that he needs to sustain himself during the Depression, and ends up having to claim welfare. However, he decides to go back to those who used to run the show in the boxing world to – embarrassingly – ask for cash. Braddock, who is played by Russell Crowe, gets some consolation from his manager – and there’s rarely a dry eye in the house when this iconic scene is played.
Seabiscuit (2003)
On the same Great Depression-era note, Seabiscuit is a prime contender for emotional historical films about sport. This time it’s over to the racecourse, where the jockey responsible for Seabiscuit the horse ends up injured. The jockey, called Red Pollard, is forced to confront some of his demons as the pair work to get back to where they once were.
There seems to be a trend of movies with sports scenes contributing amazing and iconic lines and quotes, and Seabiscuit is no exception. At one stage, Pollard explains just what effect Seabiscuit has had on his life. “You know everybody thinks we found this broken-down horse and fixed him, but we didn’t,” he says. “He fixed us.”
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Finally, no look at the best sport scenes in movies would be complete without looking at Bend It Like Beckham. This iconic film, which explores the relationship between sport and culture, stars Juliet Stevenson and Keira Knightley and has some great football clips. It tells the tale of Jesminder Bhamra, whose aim is to follow in the footsteps of David Beckham. While her family are not quite so supportive, she manages to show off her skill and exemplify just how sport can be so powerful.
By fusing together two of America’s most loved hobbies, then, the filmmakers responsible for these scenes truly have excelled. From iconic scenes such as the aforementioned moment in Cinderella Man to more off-the-wall ones such as the regatta scene in The Social Network, sport is a great way to bring movies to life and make them ones to remember.